Red Data Book of the Russian Federation

Red Data Book of the Russian Federation
Name	Red Data Book of the Russian Federation
Country	Russia
Established	1994
Administering body	Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Russia)

Red Data Book of the Russian Federation is the official national inventory documenting threatened fauna and flora within the Russian Federation and its constituent federal subjects. It functions as a working list used by institutions such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Russia), the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Zoological Museum of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Botanical Garden of the Komarov Institute, and regional conservation agencies. The Book interfaces with international instruments and organizations including the IUCN Red List, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Bern Convention, the CITES, and bilateral agreements with states such as China, Norway, and Mongolia.

History

The modern compilation traces roots to pre-revolutionary inventories upheld by institutions like the Russian Geographical Society and the Imperial Academy of Sciences, followed by Soviet-era lists coordinated by bodies such as the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and ministries during the Soviet Union period. Post-Soviet legislative developments under leaders including Boris Yeltsin and administrations of the State Duma led to establishment acts in the 1990s, influenced by international events such as the Rio Earth Summit and policies negotiated with the United Nations Environment Programme. Major contributors and convenors have included scientists affiliated with the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kondratyuk Institute, the Russian Geographical Society, regional universities like Lomonosov Moscow State University and Saint Petersburg State University, and NGOs such as WWF Russia and Greenpeace Russia.

Legal status and administration

The Book derives authority from federal instruments adopted by the State Duma and executed by the President of Russia through decrees and regulations issued by the Government of Russia. Administrative oversight rests with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Russia), working with the scientific council of the Russian Academy of Sciences and regional ministries in Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Krasnoyarsk Krai, Primorsky Krai, Khabarovsk Krai and other federal subjects of Russia. Implementation intersects with protected areas administered by agencies responsible for the Zapovednik network, the Russian Federation Ministry of Agriculture, and authorities governing sites like Sochi National Park and Lake Baikal, requiring coordination with judicial bodies including the Constitutional Court of Russia and enforcement by agencies comparable to the Investigative Committee of Russia for criminal violations.

Structure and content

The Book is organized taxonomically and geographically, with sections covering vertebrates and invertebrates, vascular plants, fungi and lichens, and habitats, compiled by specialists from institutions like the Zoological Museum of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Komarov Botanical Institute, the Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, and regional research centers such as the Siberian Federal University and the Far Eastern Federal University. Entries for species such as the Amur tiger, Saiga antelope, European mink, Siberian musk deer, Baikal seal, Beluga (sturgeon), and plant taxa like Cypripedium calceolus include status assessments, distribution maps referencing regions such as Kamchatka Krai, Karelia, Altai Republic, and Primorsky Krai, population trends, and recommended measures prepared with input from organizations including WWF Russia, the Russian Geographical Society, and the Russian Ornithological Society.

Criteria and listing process

Listing follows criteria adapted from international standards and national legislation promulgated via the State Duma, relying on expert assessment panels convened by the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Russia), and regional scientific councils in entities like Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. Assessments draw on field surveys by teams from universities such as Lomonosov Moscow State University and research institutes including the Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology (Urals Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences), employing demographic data, threat analyses referencing activities in regions like Krasnodar Krai and Yakutia, and international comparisons with listings in the IUCN Red List and protections under CITES. Decisions are formalized through ministerial orders and published lists, with appeals and scientific debates involving bodies such as the Russian Botanical Society and the Russian Entomological Society.

Conservation and protection measures

Inclusion in the Book triggers regulatory and practical measures coordinated with protected area networks like the Zapovednik system, national parks such as Sochi National Park, and regional reserves in Sakhalin Oblast and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Measures involve habitat restoration projects developed by agencies and NGOs including Rosprirodnadzor, WWF Russia, and academic partners from Saint Petersburg State University and the Russian Academy of Sciences, enforcement actions guided by statutes enacted by the State Duma, captive-breeding and reintroduction programs at facilities like the Tobolsk Zoological Station and partnerships with international institutions such as the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Zoological Society of London. Conservation financing is sourced from federal budgets approved by the Government of Russia, regional allocations from entities like Moscow Oblast administrations, and grants from foundations linked to bodies such as the Global Environment Facility.

Publication and editions

First federal editions compiled in the 1990s were followed by successive printed and electronic editions coordinated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Russia) with scientific input from the Russian Academy of Sciences and regional institutes like the Komarov Botanical Institute and the Zoological Institute. Later editions incorporated digital databases accessible to agencies such as the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources (Rosprirodnadzor) and research networks including the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, and were distributed to universities including Lomonosov Moscow State University and museums like the State Darwin Museum. Special thematic supplements and regional lists have been produced for areas such as Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Kamchatka Krai, Altai Republic, and Primorsky Krai with contributions from NGOs including Greenpeace Russia and WWF Russia.

Category:Conservation in Russia